Rib Roast on da Pit. Suggestions Please! :-)

[SRA]

Well, Christmas day my buddy and I are going to do 2 rib roasts on the PBC. My plan is to rub Olive Oil on mine and use Montreal Steak Seasoning as a rub. I know I like that flavor on my ribeyes and this is basically a huge ribeye. So, when should I put the rub on? A day before? The morning of?

Another question is that the roast has the bone cut but them re-attached with the string. Should I cook it that way or cut the bones completely off? Part of me wants to leave them on and part of me wants to take them off. The other thing I have to account for is that we should both do the same so that both roasts come off about the same time.

Any tips, tricks or suggestions greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Huskee]

The Montreal rub you speak of, I'm assuming this is store-bought and contains salt? If so, rub it ASAP so that can be your dry brine. If not, and you plan to dry brine separately, do that ASAP and the rub can go on whenever, an hour before, 24 hrs before, right before, it matters little.

I'd take the bones off. This will help it cook a pinch faster but more importantly it will allow you to get a more even brown seared crust...assuming you sear it. If you're only using the PBC it'll probably develop a little bit of a bark on its own. If you have a gasser or a charcoal grill or even an indoor oven broiler you can use to give her a good sear, you'll love it. If so, remove it at 5-10 degrees below your target temp and then sear it, moving/turning frequently until your target temp is reached.

[Strat50]

I used to work for a place that did bone-in prime rubbed with Montreal. The longer Montreal seasoning is allowed to contact the meat, the better, as there are larger chunks of dehydrated peppers, garlic, etc; so those ingredients must re-hydrate before they start to release their flavor. We would rub, then keep in the walk-in for 2 days. We also kept the bone on, however the restaurant's flavor and texture profile was to not have much "bark." Yes, it will add about 30-40 minutes to your cook if you leave the bones on. What you might ask yourself, is how "crusty" you want the rib to be. If you like crusty as Huskee suggests, then remove the bones. This is super tasty. If you want a mix of textures when done, then leave them on. No wrong answer and the BBQ gods will not smite thee..lol Just remember, low and slow, and you will be "in the zone." Happy holidays from Houston, Alaska...

[SRA]

OK, took it out of the fridge, rubbed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the rubbed it with McCormicks Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning. I know, I know, not home made but I still like it on my steaks. I left the bones attached (they are only hanging on by a thread of meat) but I placed olive oil and the rub in between the layer as well. That way if we do decide to take the bones off everything is ready to go either way. I then tied it all back up and placed back in the refrigerator.

[fzxdoc]

I have a friend who uses Montreal Steak Seasoning exclusively for steaks. He said a butcher told him to use it, and he's never wavered since. Its first ingredient on the list is salt, and the instructions say to use 1 TBL per pound. This is definitely a seasoning that I would use several hours before to dry brine the meat. The ingredients are salt, black/red peppers, garlic, sunflower oil, "natural flavors" and "extractives of paprika". I have to say that I've had my friend's steaks and they are mighty flavorful indeed. I bet your rib roast is going to taste delicious, SRA! Give us a Monday Morning Quarterback Report when all is said and done.

One of my fav rubs for steak is famed chef Michael Chiarello's NapaStyle Roasted Garlic Rub. It contains slow-roasted garlic with rosemary, oregano, thyme, gray salt, chili for heat, and citrus zest for a hint of sweetness. Notice that the salt is listed as the 5th ingredient, so there's not a lot of it. I can dry brine my steaks and roasts and then rub this stuff in with a bit of EVOO. Manohman is it good!

That said, my on-deck rub mixture for beef is from Oak Ridge BBQ, Black Ops Rub. It was recommended by a fellow Pitster (thanks, Pat!), so I ordered the sampler pack. In it I got some rubs for game, which we never eat, but will probably use for lamb. The Black Ops rub also lists salt as its first ingredient so I'll use it for a dry brine as well. I'm eager to taste that flavor profile.

Kathryn

[SRA]

Kathryn, Thanks for the links to the other rubs, I'll definitely have to check those out. Also, thanks for not berating me about the Montreal Steak Seasoning. In a way I feel silly using an off the shelf commercial seasoning but I was introduced to it like you via a friend on his steaks and have used it ever since. Everyone seems to like it and I used to get rave reviews on my rib-eye steaks so I figure why mess with success?!?

[The Burn]

SRA, nothing to feel silly about. I'd bet lots of (most?) Club members use purchased rubs and seasonings. Or in my case, use the recipes of people here for things like Big Bad Beef Rub or Huskee's [Chicken] and Rib Rub. Like you said, if it ain't broke ...

[W.A.]

I have used the Montreal seasoning for years. Its good on brisket and pastrami. I also put it on steaks. I think there is dill and/or fennel seeds in it.

[Strat50]

Montreal Seasoning is a part of a secret rub I use on pork, both ribs and shoulder. It has a complex, very savory flavor that I have liked for years. It is great on steak, but, you must allow it to do what it does for at least a day, as I posted earlier. Montreal is great for "base" and "background" flavors that you then build up with chili powder or whatever to build your overall flavor profile.

[SRA]

I have used the Montreal seasoning for years. Its good on brisket and pastrami. I also put it on steaks. I think there is dill and/or fennel seeds in it.

Yeah, they're very clever. The ingredients are : COURSE SALT, SPICES (INCLUDING BLACK PEPPER AND RED PEPPER {NOTICE THAT THEY DON'T DISCLOSE ALL THE SPICES}), GARLIC, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR {THAT'S PRETTY BROAD TOO!!!}, AND EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA.